Taiwan United Daily News:

A recently released white paper has a paragraph on "exerting our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification," which adds a line that reads, "Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances." Does this indicate that the mainland has made changes to the means and options for pursuing reunification? How does the mainland perceive and assess the so-called "reunification by non-peaceful means?"

Sun Yeli: 

Peaceful reunification and One country, Two systems are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question. The recently released white paper "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era" reiterates these principles. National reunification by peaceful means best serves the interests of the Chinese nation, including our compatriots in Taiwan. It works best for the long-term stability and development of China, and therefore is our first choice in resolving the Taiwan question. We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification, and create vast space for peaceful reunification.

We make no promise to renounce the use of force, and reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. This is to guard against the interference of external forces and the very small number of "Taiwan independence" separatists and their activities. In no way does it target our Taiwan compatriots. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the prospects of China's peaceful reunification and advance this process. As long as there is a slim chance of peaceful reunification, we will exert our utmost efforts to do so. The use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances.

As we speak, the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces continue to make provocations, and external forces are doubling down on using Taiwan to contain China. All these factors severely undermine the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation and the immediate interests of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, severely jeopardize peace and stability across the Strait, and severely threaten the prospect of peaceful reunification. If left unchecked, they will plunge Taiwan into an abyss and bring disaster to our Taiwan compatriots. Neither individuals nor forces shall underestimate our firm resolve, iron will, and strong capability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We hope our Taiwan compatriots are aware that reunification brings benefits, "Taiwan independence" leads to nowhere, and external forces are unreliable. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait shall join hands to oppose "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces and external interference, in a bid to jointly usher in the bright future of peaceful reunification of the motherland. Thank you.

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